Aerosol generating device including detachable heater module

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes: a main body including a processor and a battery; a heater module detachably coupled to the main body and including a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating material; and a cartridge detachably coupled to the heater module and storing the aerosol generating material to be delivered to the heater, wherein the heater module includes an integrated circuit electrically connected to the processor when the heater module is coupled to the main body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a main body including a processor and a battery; 
 a heater module detachably coupled to the main body and including a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating material; and 
 a cartridge detachably coupled to the heater module and storing the aerosol generating material to be delivered to the heater, 
 wherein the heater module comprises an integrated circuit electrically connected to the processor when the heater module is coupled to the main body, 
 wherein the integrated circuit is configured to perform counting a number of operations associated with a user's smoking detected based on a signal transmitted from the processor and store the number of operations corresponding to a result of the counting, and 
 wherein the number of operations is used to determine a replacement time of the heater module, which is replaced at different cycles from the cartridge. 
 
     
     
       2. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive identification information from the integrated circuit and perform a genuine product certification on the heater module based on the identification information. 
     
     
       3. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises a nonvolatile memory configured to store the number of operations. 
     
     
       4. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein, based on the number of operations stored in the integrated circuit being greater than or equal to a threshold value, the processor is configured to cut off an electrical connection between the battery and the heater. 
     
     
       5. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the integrated circuit is further configured to output a first value based on the stored number of operations being less than a threshold value and outputs a second value based on the stored number of operations being greater than or equal to the threshold value, and 
 the processor is further configured to allow an electrical connection between the battery and the heater based on a value output from the integrated circuit being the first value, and cut off the electrical connection between the battery and the heater based on the value output from the integrated circuit being the second value. 
 
     
     
       6. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit is arranged in a space separated from the heater by at least one housing in the heater module. 
     
     
       7. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises:
 a liquid storage storing the aerosol generating material; and 
 at least one felt arranged at an end portion contacting the heater module when the cartridge is coupled to the heater module, wherein 
 the heater is configured to heat the aerosol generating material delivered through the felt from the liquid storage. 
 
     
     
       8. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises at least one of a coil heater coupled to a silica wick and a porous ceramic heater. 
     
     
       9. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the heater module comprises at least two connector terminals configured to form a first electrical connection between the battery and the heater and a second electrical connection between the processor and the integrated circuit. 
     
     
       10. The aerosol generating device of  claim 9 , wherein the integrated circuit is connected to one or more of the at least two connector terminals through a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) extending along at least a portion of an outer surface of the heater module. 
     
     
       11. The aerosol generating device of  claim 9 , wherein the main body comprises a circular conductive portion and a plurality of circular band-shaped conductive portions having a concentricity at an end portion of the main body coupled to the heater module, wherein
 the conductive portions form an electrical connection with the at least two connector terminals, regardless of an orientation in which the heater module is coupled to the main body.